Intimate Abuse Study Finds Clear Links with Poor Health and Calls for Holistic Primary Care ApproachAnnette WhibleyNearly a quarter of married and cohabiting women who took part in a survey said that they had been sexually, psychologically or physically abused by their partner, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.A Tribute to the Beauties from India, Mexico and TurkeyVirginRoseA tribute to some of the most beautiful women on the planet from different parts of the world.Lights, Camera, Contraction!Malia WollanBy her eighth month of pregnancy, Rebecca Sloan, a 35-year-old biologist living in Mountain View, Calif., had read the what-to-expect books, taken the childbirth classes, joined the mommy chat rooms and still had no idea what she was in for. So, like countless expectant mothers before her, Ms. Sloan typed “childbirth” into YouTube’s search engine.How Did 100,000,000 Women Disappear?Nicole BauteResearchers are attempting to account for women in the developing world who have died as a result of violence, discrimination and neglect.Let's Stop Women's SufferingMary Robinson & Alicia YaminWith the United Nations Human Rights Council's June session just around the corner, governments have a chance to prove that they value women's lives by taking concrete action on this issue.Mexico: Indigenous Rape Victims Fight Military ImpunityDiego CevallosThe aberrations of Mexican justice were clearly visible in the cases of rape and torture allegedly committed by soldiers in 2002 against two indigenous women, Inés Fernández and Valentina Rosendo. But their experiences are not exceptional in rural areas of the southern state of Guerrero.International Women's Health Day 2009Presidencia de la RepúblicaPresident Felipe Calderón confirmed his government's commitment to women's welfare and progress and led the presentation of the National Strategy for Reducing Maternal Mortality, designed to provide universal attention for pregnancy complications and promote a culture of risk prevention and self-care among pregnant women.Mexico's Pro-Choice Advocates Take Parties to TaskEFEMembers of the Women's Health Coalition protested Wednesday at the headquarters of three main political parties against reforms they say have passed in 13 states that grant embryos the same rights as people.Sexuality Conference to Focus on Role of the ChurchTherese MargolisThe eighth annual Cultural Week of Sexual Diversity, or SCDS, is slated to get under way on Monday. The multidisciplinary week of events will include conferences, discussions, book presentations, plays and a photographic exhibition.Cancer de Mama: Improving Life for SurvivorsCara BradyThe need was great but the women from Canada knew they could help the Mexican women. In Mexico, women can get the breast cancer surgery they need but if they can’t afford a prosthesis, they have to go without.What is Permanent Make-up?Eddie OrtizWhen performed by a trained professional, permanent make-up can appear natural and attractive. It is very popular here in Puerto Vallarta, so I wanted to share information, and weigh the pro's and con's about this popular trend.Mexico: Training Professional Village MidwivesEmilio GodoyThe practice of midwifery in Mexico goes back to the pre-Hispanic cultures of the people living in this land before the arrival of the conquistadors in the early 16th century. In many rural communities, midwives are the only option available for care during pregnancy and childbirth, as state health services are too far away.Is Rape Serious?Nicholas D. KristofWhile we have breakthrough DNA technologies to find culprits and exculpate innocent suspects, we aren’t using them properly — and those who work in this field believe the reason is an underlying doubt about the seriousness of some rape cases. In short, this isn’t justice; it’s indifference.Are Women Being Denied Justice?PBS.orgThis week's "NOW" on PBS: Are women being denied justice? "NOW" investigates the enormous backlog in rape cases. Watch the show for yourself RIGHT NOW.Mind Over MuscleRenee CreeTemple-led study finds positive body image more effective than exercise in helping young women lose weight, quit smoking.Niger Villages Say No to Female Genital MutilationThe Real News NetworkTen villages in western Niger have decided to end the practice of female genital mutilation.Cuba: Women Talk to Women about HIV/AIDS PreventionDalia AcostaPrevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, the AIDS virus, has become the centre of the lives of a small group of women in the province of Pinar del Río, in the west of Cuba.Chile: Therapeutic Abortion - Hot Election IssueDaniela EstradaThe debate on the decriminalisation of therapeutic abortion has been revived ahead of the December presidential elections in Chile, one of the few countries in the world where abortion is illegal even under extreme circumstances, such as risk to the mother’s life or a severely deformed fetus.Sometimes, Abortion Becomes a NecessityBonnie ErbeThe recession is driving American demand for contraception and for abortions. The media have been riven this past week with stories about the rising number of couples and single mothers doing the math and deciding this is no time to bring a child into the world.On Being a Single Woman (of a Certain Age) in Puerto Vallarta - Part Two - It's Not Me... It's YouLiana TurnerIn part one of this series, I may have been a little hard on the men, but they haven't responded in anger. I guess that if any men were offended it would have been because they were the jerks that I was writing about.On Being a Single Woman of a Certain Age in Puerto Vallarta - Part OneLiana TurnerI recently had a conversation with a lady who lives here. She is married, and has been for most of her adult life, so she was curious about what it is like to be a single woman in Puerto Vallarta. Well, let me tell you what I told her...Caribbean: Culture of Sexual Coercion Exposes Women to HIVPeter RichardsThe fight against widespread sexual violence in the Caribbean has been joined by a high-profile new women’s coalition that warns it could be a major reason for the spread of HIV among women and girls in the region.Lower-Cost Female Condom Gets FDA ApprovalBobby RamakantEarlier this week, the Female Health Company (FHC) announced approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the company's Female Condom (FC2), a woman-initiated barrier method that helps to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, and unintended pregnancy.Brazil: Child Rape Case Revives Debate on AbortionFabiana FrayssinetThe case of a nine-year-old girl who was raped and impregnated by her stepfather has revived the debate in Brazil on sexual violence, the need to reform the abortion law, and the shortcomings of the health system when it comes to dealing with the few cases in which abortion is legal.UNODC Launches Blue Heart Campaign Against Human TraffickingUNODC.orgToday at the Women's World Awards in Vienna, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa launched the Blue Heart Campaign with actors Claudia Cardinale and Monica Bellucci to rally world public opinion against human trafficking.Obama Set to Overturn Bush's Abortion RuleRicardo Alonso-ZaldivarPresident Barack Obama plans to repeal a Bush administration rule that has become a flash point in the debate over a doctor's right not to participate in abortions.Eddie Ortiz: Beauty Tips for Healthy HairEddie OrtizFebruary is almost over and how many of us have kept up with our New Year's Resolutions? I can't even remember the resolution I made, but here are some beauty tips you can begin TODAY that'll help you feel better about your hair year 'round.Mammogram - The Big and Small of ItPamela ThompsonI hold Mammogram Clinics and preach the importance of women having a mammogram all the time. And then I go nearly five years without one. Gee, anyone with some sense knows the statistics of breast cancer and the vital importance of having a mammogram.The Trouble With Repeat CesareansPamela PaulMuch ado has been made recently of women who choose to have cesareans, but little attention has been paid to the vast number of moms who are forced to have them.Brazil: Older Women at Higher Risk from AIDSMario OsavaThe HIV infection rate in women over 50 in Brazil has more than tripled since 1996, making this population group the prime target of the government's HIV/AIDS prevention campaign during the carnival festivities.Mexico: Two Years On: The Law to Protect Women has had no Impact at State LevelAmnesty InternationalOn the second anniversary of the passing of the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free From Violence, Amnesty International said the law has had no impact in the majority of Mexico’s 32 states.Economic Status Affects Obesity Rates in Mexican-American and White WomenScience CentricObesity continues to increase for women in the United States, particularly among African-American and Mexican-American women. Between the ages of 35-44, there are approximately 3.3 million white women, 1.4 million African-American women, and 575,000 Mexican-American women who are obese.Mexico Against Gender Based-ViolencePrensa LatinaThe Mexican Senate´s Commission for Legislative Studies is preparing an initiative to declare 2009 as the Violence Against Women Year.Published Reports Inaccurate Concerning Alcohol Consumption During PregnancyMary L. HardinA national alcohol research group is concerned that the media's misinterpretation of a recent British research study could encourage pregnant women to be more at ease with temperate alcohol consumption.